Mechanical contraceptives



April 28, 1964 c. YOUNG 3,130,721

MECHANICAL CONTRACEPTIVES Filed June 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l Figl.

INVENTOR I John C. Young April 28, 1964 J. c. YOUNG 3,130,721

MECHANICAL CONTRACEPTIVES Filed June 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5.Fig.6.

INVENTOR 4 John C. Young United States Patent O 3,130,721 MECHANICALCONTRACEPTIVES John C. Young, 135 S. Hiland Ave, Pittsburgh 6, Pa. FiledJune 26, 1961, Ser. No. 119,506 7 Claims. (Cl. 128-127) This inventionrelates to mechanical contraceptives and particularly to a mechanicalcontraceptive or pessary which is positioned in the vagina at or nearand surrounding the cervix by a firm member.

The need for a simple, inexpensive means for contraception has becomeincreasingly acute. Many areas of the earth suffer from famine, disease,poverty and squalor because of their excessively high and completelyuncontrolled birth rate. No really simple, effective means of aiding inthe control of this problem has been achieved.

Many types of pessaries and diaphragm type contraceptives have beenproposed. These, however, take some skill in their successfulapplication, usually require some special mechanical device forinsertion and, in many cases, medical skill in fitting. Such devices arenot feasible for those underdeveloped and uneducated areas of the worldwhere they are most needed. There are available male contraceptives, butthose are, in general, not adapted for reuse and are for that reason notsatisfactory in such underdeveloped areas.

I have invented a contraceptive device which solves these problems. Iprovide a pessary type contraceptive which does not require specialskill or mechanical equipment for installation, and which is reusableand effective.

Preferably, I provide a diaphragm of semielastic material in generallysaucer-shaped or reversed saucer-shaped configuration adapted to coverthe cervix area and frictionally engage the walls of the vaginal passagethereabout, a cylindrical sheath member of elastic material closed andfixed at one end to the underside or outer surface of the base of saidsaucer-shaped diaphragm and at the center thereof and adapted toremovably engage a firm member. Preferably the cylindrical sheath memberis of thin elastic material such as latex film.

In the foregoing general description of my invention, I have set outcertain objects, advantages and purposes. Other objects, advantages andpurposes will be apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view showing one of the embodiments of thisinvention in place;

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the pessary;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a fifth embodiment of myinvention;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of a sixth embodiment of myinvention;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of a seventh embodiment of myinvention; and

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation of an eighth embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a saucerlike diaphragm 10of semielastic material, preferably rubber, of suificient rigidity tobear against the walls of the vaginal passage 11 to surround the cervix12 at or near it, to seal it from the vaginal passage. A cylindricalsheath 13 is fixed at its capped end to a center point 14 of the outersurface of the bottom of the diaphragm 10. The sheath 13 is preferablyformed of thin elastic mate- 3,130,721 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 rial suchas latex film which will collapse when installed, although this is notessential. The sheath 13 is adapted to be loosely but firmly removablyplaced on a firm member prior to copulation and is placed in the finalposition shown in FIGURE 1 by reason of the engagement of the walls ofthe vaginal passage on the periphery of diaphragm 10 by the completionof the inward original stroke of the firm member. Thereafter uponbeginning of withdrawal of the firm member the diaphragm 10 and sheath13 are left in proper position as in FIGURE 1.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4, I have illustrated acontraceptive device made up of a saucerlike diaphragm 20 havinginturned lips 21 adapted to surround the cervix of a wearer and an outerperipheral annular bead or flange 22 adapted to firmly engage the wallsof the vaginal passage of a wearer at or near the cervix. A sheath 23 isfixed to the center of bottom 24 precisely as in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, I have illustratedstill other forms of my invention similar to that of FIGURE 4 butprovided with plural rings 25 on the sheath member 23a of which ring 25ain FIG- URE 6 is smaller than the other rings 25. These rings maintainthe sheath 23a open after insertion with most of the rings 25 in contactwith the vaginal wall to form an increased measure of protection and toinsure holding the device in proper position. It is obvious, of course,that the device of this invention could be inserted by using anapplicator rod, a cylindrical object, or a finger, without theco-operation of the male.

FIGURE 7 illustrated an embodiment in which the diaphragm member 28 isinverted over the sheath 29 for easier insertion. A thick, wide, flatportion 30 is provided about the periphery of the diaphragm to hold itin place and to prevent any tendency of the diaphragm to tip.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a form in which the diaphragm member 31 is invertedover sheath 32 as in FIGURE 7 but a resilient O-ring 33 is formed aboutthe periphery thereof.

FIGURE 9 shows an essentially plane diaphragm 34 attached to the end ofsheath 35 and provided with a peripheral O-ring 36.

FIGURE 10 shows a device of my invention essentially the same as that ofFIGURE 9 but having a heavy band '37 as a peripheral ring to contact thevaginal walls. 7 While I have illustrated and described certainpresently preferred embodiments of my invention hereinabove, it will beunderstood that this invention may be otherwise embodied within thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a contraceptive device, a generally semielastic impervioussaucerlike member adapted to surround a cervix at or near thereat andengage the walls of a vaginal passage in sealing relation and a thinelastic collapsible sheath means on said member adapted to releasablyengage a firm member for placement in said vaginal passage by completionof the original inward stroke and released from said firm member byengagement of the said member by said vaginal passage when the originalback stroke of the firm member begins.

2. In a device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member hasan inturned lip to surround the cervix of the wearer at or near thereatand an annular peripheral bead engaging the walls of the vaginal passageat or near thereat.

3. In a device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member hasan integral annular outer edge peripheral ring and the sheath means isprovided with multiplicity of integral annular peripheral rings, most ofsuch rings so spaced as to engage the walls of the vaginal passage toform spaced open supporting members of the sheath 0.9 whereby, thesheath and the saucerlike member of the device are firmly held inposition at or near a cervix.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member isreversed over the sheath and is provided with an integral heavyperipheral-resilient band.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member isreversed over the sheath and provided with an integral resilient O-ringabout the periphery thereof.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member isessentially planar and provided With an integral resilient O-ring aboutthe periphery thereof.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member isessentially planar and provided with an integral heavyperipheralresilient band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS733,068 Mitchell July 7, 1903 806,589 Smart Dec. 5, 1905 1,316,436Feeney Sept. 16, 1919 2,071,248 Campbell Feb. 16, 1937 2,442,066Waterbury May 25, 1948 2,444,672 Prather July 6, 1948 2,704,068 BeranekMar. 15, 1955

1. IN A CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICE, A GENERALLY SEMIELASTIC IMPERVIOUSSAUCERLIKE MEMBER ADAPTED TO SURROUND A CERVIX AT OR NEAR THEREAT ANDENGAGE THE WALLS OF A VAGINAL PASSAGE IN SEALING RELATION AND A THINELASTIC COLLAPSIBLE SHEATH MEANS ON SAID MEMBER ADAPTED TO RELEASABLYENGAGE A FIRM MEMBER FOR PLACEMENT IN SAID VAGINAL PASSAGE BY COMPLETIONOF THE ORIGINAL INWARD STROKE AND RELEASED FROM SAID FIRM MEMBER BYENGAGEMENT OF THE SAID MEMBER BY SAID VAGINAL PASSAGE WHEN THE ORIGINALBACK STROKE OF THE FIRM MEMBER BEGINS.